Period: From December 2024      Issued on 09.12.2024 using data to the end of November 2024

Rainfall:

November rainfall for the UK was below average. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland saw below average rainfall, with some areas of eastern and southern Scotland recording less than 30% of the November average. In central and southern England, and south Wales, rainfall was average or above average. In the second half of the month, storm ‘Bert’ brought exceptional rainfall accross south Wales and south-west England. The forecast (issued by the Met Office on 02.12.2024) shows for December–February, there is an increased chance of wetter and windier conditions compared to normal. These unsettled conditions are most likely in northern and western parts of the UK.

River flows:

River flows in November were above normal in central and southern England, notably so at many groundwater-dominated sites in this area. Elsewhere, flows in Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and north Wales were below normal, notably so in many cases. The outlook for December is for normal to above normal flows in most areas, with flows expected to be above normal or exceptionally high in south-east England. In eastern Scotland, river flows are likely to be normal to below normal in December. For December–February, the outlook is similar, with normal to above normal flows in most areas, although flows in eastern Scotland are likely to tend towards the normal range.

Groundwater:

Groundwater levels in November were generally normal or above normal across the country. Exceptionally high November groundwater levels were registered at sites in Shropshire, Cambridgeshire, the Cotswolds, and Dorset. The outlook for December is for above normal levels, for most of the UK. At some sites in the Chalk of East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Kent and Sussex, and the Permo-Triassic sandstone in Dumfries and South Wales, levels are expected to be normal. For the three-month outlook, levels are likely to be in the above normal range across the country, although in parts of East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and County Durham, they are generally expected to remain normal.